This Policy Paper by Marjorie Jouen aims at understanding the current relationship between the policy to reduce regional and social disparities and the one aimed at ensuring the opening of European markets.

Part 1 recalls the nature of the strong bond between these policies for over twenty years, as they were launched almost simultaneously.

Part 2 analyses the recent shifts in this relationship and the structural reasons behind the current impasse.

Finally, in order to restore cohesion which remains a major challenge for the EU, exploring other non-strictly economic ways is required. This would confirm the divorce between the single market and cohesion policy.